Mark Vientos hit a pair of two-run homers, including a leadoff shot in the 10th inning that sent the Mets past the Reds 6-4 for their eighth consecutive victory.
The first pitch Mark Vientos saw from Justin Wilson in the 10th inning was a cutter inside, out of the strike zone. That’s all it took for New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to know how the at-bat would end.
“The way he took it, I was like, ‘Game’s over here'”, Mendoza said.
Mendoza saw there was no panic. Vientos wasn’t rushed. He seemed at ease.
Moments later, on the eighth pitch of the duel, Vientos proved Mendoza’s hunch right, launching a 97 mph fastball for a walk-off, two-run home run to give the Mets a 6-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds.
The victory was the Mets’ season-high eighth straight, keeping them in a tie for the final NL wild-card playoff spot with the Atlanta Braves, who also won Friday. Both teams are 77-64 with 21 games left, including three against each other in Atlanta later in the month.
“I was ready to swing at that first pitch and I saw it pretty good”, Vientos said. “And I kind of felt the same way. I was like, ‘OK, I see him well.
